Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
Flandre's Quest (Touhou) World - (Madness Quest)
- Thread starter Entropy Judge
- Start date
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
As a head's up, I really don't think I'll be able to update today. It'll likely be sometime tomorrow. 
Flandre DID spend a long time away from her, however. If it was an issue, Remilia would have brought it up.
[X] Go with Lutecia to meet her mother.
Ultimately, Lutecia is inviting Flandre now and have time. That may not be the case later.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are locked. Update should be up in an hour or so, unless something happens or I get distracted.
To Mama's Office We Go!
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
[X] Go with Lutecia to meet her mother.
"Hmm …." You tap your lips for a moment before smiling up at Lutecia. "Sure! I mean, if it's alright with her, of course - and if we can get out of here without anyone ordering me to do something else. Or are we going to teleport?" Lutecia beams and hauls you into a sitting position so she can hug you. Seeing her so happy makes you feel good; besides, you don't know how to get to where Vita, Fate, or Juliet are, so the only real choices are this or sitting in the terminal until someone remembers you.
"Oh, thank you, Flan!" She lets you go and shakes her head. "But we won't be teleporting, unfortunately. I'm not supposed to use magic at all except on missions or under supervision. Um, but you'll want to take - Satsuki, was it? And she can't be in the sun, right?" You nod, wishing that you'd been able to introduce them, at least. Lutecia nods to herself after a moment. "Then I'll get things set up to take us to Mama. Will you be able to take care of Satsuki and your things by yourself and meet me in front of the terminal?" You nod.
"Of course! I am very talented, after all." Lutecia giggles and hugs you tightly. A tone sounds and Captain Sentra announces that you've landed and that all personnel should report to their duty stations as required. Fortunately, no one seems to have gotten around to telling you anything about that, so of course you're free to do as you please. Lutecia darts away with the vigor of youthful purpose, striding confidently away. You ponder your next action for a moment, then summon your clones and have them turn invisible. One for each piece of luggage, and one to carry Satsuki after carefully wrapping her in a thick blanket; not particularly comfortable, perhaps, but hopefully it'll keep the sun away from her. Naturally, of course, Captain Sentra stops you.
"… Why are you carrying her in a blanket?" You glance back at Satsuki's covered form and shrug.
"It's for her safety. And yours, I suppose - well, everyone here except me. Did I forget to tell you? She's like me, doesn't do well in the sun, and so normally she sleeps through the day. But sunlight is actively harmful to her, so covering her up is the best way to keep her from coming awake in a pain-filled rage over, you know, being almost dead. I suppose I could put her in my coffin, but it'd probably be a tight fit, and I'm not sure how well she'd appreciate being put inside it - coffins are for the dead, after all." You giggle, and Captain Sentra stares at you for a moment before sighing, putting a hand over his eyes, and walking away. You shake your head; hopefully these people stop acting all confused at youkai behavior before they accept Remilia's offer - it would be a dreadful blunder to offer something abhorrent to a youkai that's supposed to be working for them.
The sight of you walking through the terminal, large parasol furled over your shoulder and followed by a parade of floating luggage, gathers fewer stares than you'd expected, but it's still amusing to see the occasional double-take and utterly baffled expression, and the wheelchair is provided easily once you identify yourself - you can even keep it for a while and simply return it to any Bureau office! You thank the bemused receptionist and head for the front of the building complex.
"Flan! Over here!" Lutecia waves at you through a break in the crowds and you raise your unopened parasol to indicate that you're coming. The boxy car she's standing by looks large enough to easily fit both pieces of luggage as well as the three of you, although the driver frowns at the trunk and coffin before opening the back door and climbing inside. "I was originally going to take a bus, but since you have those, a shuttle should be easier, and it'll be faster, too!" You grin and bow politely.
"And I'm thoughtful!" Lutecia laughs and you look inside to see if the driver needs any help with the luggage. He seems surprised by the weight of the coffin more than that of the trunk, but with your clone holding part of it up for him it's not a problem. He then helps you get Satsuki buckled in and the wheelchair folded out of the way before confirming the address with Lutecia and getting into the driver's compartment. Lutecia squirms anxiously in her seat as the car starts moving. You give her a concerned look.
"… You … you'll like Mama, won't you, Flandre?" She fidgets her hands worriedly.
"Why wouldn't I like your mother, Lutecia?" She works her mouth helplessly for a while, unable to come up with an answer, and you lean into her. As much as you can, anyway; the driver seemed to set great store by the seat belts, so you probably shouldn't take it off. "It's pretty hard to make me immediately dislike someone, really, and I'm already favorably disposed to her. So the only way I wouldn't like her would be if she didn't like me and didn't give me a chance to improve her opinion of me. And it doesn't seem like that's the case, so there's no need to worry. Right?" Lutecia nods after a moment, and she doesn't resist when you pull her closer to you, but she's quiet and nervous throughout the drive to her mother's work.
"She knows we're coming, right? And she said it was okay?" Lutecia nods but remains stationary outside the door to her mother's office. "So why are you worried?" You keep your voice even, but either Lutecia hears something anyway, or she's just so nervous that she has to react to something.
"It's just … I just want everything to go well, but …." She trails off and you nod understandingly. She probably doesn't actually have any objections, she's just worrying. Well, there's only one way to deal with that!
"I have an idea, Lulu. Here, look at me." She starts to turn toward you and you press the panel to open the door. Lutecia stiffens and you hear a questioning voice inside - and then you push Lutecia into the room and close the door behind her. Then you turn away and study the wall for a few minutes until the door opens behind you and a red-faced Lutecia beckons for you to enter. You follow her in, leaving Satsuki and the luggage outside, watched over by your clones, and face the purple-haired woman sitting at the sole occupied desk in the room. Nearly identical to her daughter, apart from the age difference. You curtsy politely. "Hello. My name is Flandre Scarlet." You hold the curtsy, head tilted down, but the woman speaks almost immediately.
"Hello, Flandre. I'm Megane." You look up and rise out of the curtsy. "Lulu has told me a lot about you." Your eyes flicker to your friend as she stands nervously. Ahh ….
"Did she tell you everything, or did Agito have to tell you some parts?" Megane shakes her head.
"I asked Lieutenant Vita about you, too. And Zest, about you and your home. But please - won't you sit down?" Lutecia finally relaxes and, after a brief hesitation, slides a chair next to her mother. You nod minutely and smile. "Ah, Lulu said there was someone else with you?"
"Yes, my servant. Well, temporary servant. She was recently changed into a vampire, and until she's confident enough in herself to survive on her own, I'll be teaching her and she'll be my maid. But she can't be awake in the day, and sunlight is harmful to her, so I thought it would be less of a problem if she remained in the hall. She is being watched over, of course." Megane nods, frowning thoughtfully at the windows for a moment before nodding.
"Yes, I suppose so." Her smile returns and Lutecia cocks her head. "Are you hungry? It's almost time for my lunch break. I've been trying to be a bit more active, so I've started walking to a small shop nearby for lunch, but some days I just don't feel up to moving around as much and order something. Is there anything either of you particularly want?" Lutecia looks down briefly - she's probably at least a little hungry. And while there's nothing you particularly want ….
"Can I just get desserts and eat them in front of Lutecia?" Lutecia's head jerks up and her face turns red, but her mother's laughter - quiet and gentle, a good kind of laugh - interrupts whatever she was going to say. You wait, grinning.
"I don't think so, Flandre. That wouldn't be very nice, now, would it?" She wags a finger at you and you chuckle.
What do you do?
[ ] Stay here and order something.
- [ ] Talk about Gensokyo.
- [ ] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics.
- [ ] Other?
[ ] Take a walk and visit a shop to eat something.
- [ ] Talk about Gensokyo.
- [ ] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics.
- [ ] Other?
DM Note: No, I'm not particularly happy about the last bit, but if I don't get this written now it probably won't happen until … sometime tomorrow. And since I'm not sure which of my half-dozen conflicting thoughts will win in that situation, I can't be sure that it won't actually be worse. So, :shrug: Again. Next update should be on Monday, and hopefully I can get an omake done for Tuesday.
"Hmm …." You tap your lips for a moment before smiling up at Lutecia. "Sure! I mean, if it's alright with her, of course - and if we can get out of here without anyone ordering me to do something else. Or are we going to teleport?" Lutecia beams and hauls you into a sitting position so she can hug you. Seeing her so happy makes you feel good; besides, you don't know how to get to where Vita, Fate, or Juliet are, so the only real choices are this or sitting in the terminal until someone remembers you.
"Oh, thank you, Flan!" She lets you go and shakes her head. "But we won't be teleporting, unfortunately. I'm not supposed to use magic at all except on missions or under supervision. Um, but you'll want to take - Satsuki, was it? And she can't be in the sun, right?" You nod, wishing that you'd been able to introduce them, at least. Lutecia nods to herself after a moment. "Then I'll get things set up to take us to Mama. Will you be able to take care of Satsuki and your things by yourself and meet me in front of the terminal?" You nod.
"Of course! I am very talented, after all." Lutecia giggles and hugs you tightly. A tone sounds and Captain Sentra announces that you've landed and that all personnel should report to their duty stations as required. Fortunately, no one seems to have gotten around to telling you anything about that, so of course you're free to do as you please. Lutecia darts away with the vigor of youthful purpose, striding confidently away. You ponder your next action for a moment, then summon your clones and have them turn invisible. One for each piece of luggage, and one to carry Satsuki after carefully wrapping her in a thick blanket; not particularly comfortable, perhaps, but hopefully it'll keep the sun away from her. Naturally, of course, Captain Sentra stops you.
"… Why are you carrying her in a blanket?" You glance back at Satsuki's covered form and shrug.
"It's for her safety. And yours, I suppose - well, everyone here except me. Did I forget to tell you? She's like me, doesn't do well in the sun, and so normally she sleeps through the day. But sunlight is actively harmful to her, so covering her up is the best way to keep her from coming awake in a pain-filled rage over, you know, being almost dead. I suppose I could put her in my coffin, but it'd probably be a tight fit, and I'm not sure how well she'd appreciate being put inside it - coffins are for the dead, after all." You giggle, and Captain Sentra stares at you for a moment before sighing, putting a hand over his eyes, and walking away. You shake your head; hopefully these people stop acting all confused at youkai behavior before they accept Remilia's offer - it would be a dreadful blunder to offer something abhorrent to a youkai that's supposed to be working for them.
The sight of you walking through the terminal, large parasol furled over your shoulder and followed by a parade of floating luggage, gathers fewer stares than you'd expected, but it's still amusing to see the occasional double-take and utterly baffled expression, and the wheelchair is provided easily once you identify yourself - you can even keep it for a while and simply return it to any Bureau office! You thank the bemused receptionist and head for the front of the building complex.
"Flan! Over here!" Lutecia waves at you through a break in the crowds and you raise your unopened parasol to indicate that you're coming. The boxy car she's standing by looks large enough to easily fit both pieces of luggage as well as the three of you, although the driver frowns at the trunk and coffin before opening the back door and climbing inside. "I was originally going to take a bus, but since you have those, a shuttle should be easier, and it'll be faster, too!" You grin and bow politely.
"And I'm thoughtful!" Lutecia laughs and you look inside to see if the driver needs any help with the luggage. He seems surprised by the weight of the coffin more than that of the trunk, but with your clone holding part of it up for him it's not a problem. He then helps you get Satsuki buckled in and the wheelchair folded out of the way before confirming the address with Lutecia and getting into the driver's compartment. Lutecia squirms anxiously in her seat as the car starts moving. You give her a concerned look.
"… You … you'll like Mama, won't you, Flandre?" She fidgets her hands worriedly.
"Why wouldn't I like your mother, Lutecia?" She works her mouth helplessly for a while, unable to come up with an answer, and you lean into her. As much as you can, anyway; the driver seemed to set great store by the seat belts, so you probably shouldn't take it off. "It's pretty hard to make me immediately dislike someone, really, and I'm already favorably disposed to her. So the only way I wouldn't like her would be if she didn't like me and didn't give me a chance to improve her opinion of me. And it doesn't seem like that's the case, so there's no need to worry. Right?" Lutecia nods after a moment, and she doesn't resist when you pull her closer to you, but she's quiet and nervous throughout the drive to her mother's work.
"She knows we're coming, right? And she said it was okay?" Lutecia nods but remains stationary outside the door to her mother's office. "So why are you worried?" You keep your voice even, but either Lutecia hears something anyway, or she's just so nervous that she has to react to something.
"It's just … I just want everything to go well, but …." She trails off and you nod understandingly. She probably doesn't actually have any objections, she's just worrying. Well, there's only one way to deal with that!
"I have an idea, Lulu. Here, look at me." She starts to turn toward you and you press the panel to open the door. Lutecia stiffens and you hear a questioning voice inside - and then you push Lutecia into the room and close the door behind her. Then you turn away and study the wall for a few minutes until the door opens behind you and a red-faced Lutecia beckons for you to enter. You follow her in, leaving Satsuki and the luggage outside, watched over by your clones, and face the purple-haired woman sitting at the sole occupied desk in the room. Nearly identical to her daughter, apart from the age difference. You curtsy politely. "Hello. My name is Flandre Scarlet." You hold the curtsy, head tilted down, but the woman speaks almost immediately.
"Hello, Flandre. I'm Megane." You look up and rise out of the curtsy. "Lulu has told me a lot about you." Your eyes flicker to your friend as she stands nervously. Ahh ….
"Did she tell you everything, or did Agito have to tell you some parts?" Megane shakes her head.
"I asked Lieutenant Vita about you, too. And Zest, about you and your home. But please - won't you sit down?" Lutecia finally relaxes and, after a brief hesitation, slides a chair next to her mother. You nod minutely and smile. "Ah, Lulu said there was someone else with you?"
"Yes, my servant. Well, temporary servant. She was recently changed into a vampire, and until she's confident enough in herself to survive on her own, I'll be teaching her and she'll be my maid. But she can't be awake in the day, and sunlight is harmful to her, so I thought it would be less of a problem if she remained in the hall. She is being watched over, of course." Megane nods, frowning thoughtfully at the windows for a moment before nodding.
"Yes, I suppose so." Her smile returns and Lutecia cocks her head. "Are you hungry? It's almost time for my lunch break. I've been trying to be a bit more active, so I've started walking to a small shop nearby for lunch, but some days I just don't feel up to moving around as much and order something. Is there anything either of you particularly want?" Lutecia looks down briefly - she's probably at least a little hungry. And while there's nothing you particularly want ….
"Can I just get desserts and eat them in front of Lutecia?" Lutecia's head jerks up and her face turns red, but her mother's laughter - quiet and gentle, a good kind of laugh - interrupts whatever she was going to say. You wait, grinning.
"I don't think so, Flandre. That wouldn't be very nice, now, would it?" She wags a finger at you and you chuckle.
What do you do?
[ ] Stay here and order something.
- [ ] Talk about Gensokyo.
- [ ] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics.
- [ ] Other?
[ ] Take a walk and visit a shop to eat something.
- [ ] Talk about Gensokyo.
- [ ] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics.
- [ ] Other?
DM Note: No, I'm not particularly happy about the last bit, but if I don't get this written now it probably won't happen until … sometime tomorrow. And since I'm not sure which of my half-dozen conflicting thoughts will win in that situation, I can't be sure that it won't actually be worse. So, :shrug: Again. Next update should be on Monday, and hopefully I can get an omake done for Tuesday.
- Location
- Voidbetweenstars
[x] Stay here and order something.
No clue what to talk about,
No clue what to talk about,
Terran Imperium
[French]
- Location
- Southern France
[X] Stay here and order something.
-[X] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics.
If we don't know what to talk about, we just let them lead the conversation.
-[X] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics.
If we don't know what to talk about, we just let them lead the conversation.
SolipsistSerpent
Endlessly Devouring
Flandre says, unironically, despite planning on sleeping in said coffin.
Last edited:
[X] Stay here and order something.
- [X] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics
- [X] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics
Terran Imperium
[French]
- Location
- Southern France
Why Gensokyo tho? I thought we were here to get to know Lutecia's mother. If she is curious about something, she will ask.
As much like Lutecia may seem influenced by Flandre over the time spent with her, think a bit otherwise: she had no real friend (well, LOOKIGN like her age anyway since Zest is of course a friend. Just not saying her age since Flandre is way older.) in this before meeting Flandre. And of course, that divergence means she's not friend with Caro and Erio (or at least not as close) like in canon. So, obviously, she care a great deal for Flandre and would hate to mess something up.
...Flandre PROBABLY should take some time to tell her to relax a bit. Even if, well, Flandre can be prone to mood swing if something really displease her.
...Flandre PROBABLY should take some time to tell her to relax a bit. Even if, well, Flandre can be prone to mood swing if something really displease her.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are not locked.
A Wise Hermit
Well, Sometimes.
[X] Stay here and order something.
- [X] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics
This is also a good way to see what Lutecia and Megane think about us during our absence, Even if it does bring up some akward subjects.
- [X] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics
This is also a good way to see what Lutecia and Megane think about us during our absence, Even if it does bring up some akward subjects.
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
Votes are locked.
Lunch with Megane and Lutecia
Entropy Judge
Recurring Bouts of Misanthropy
[X] Stay here and order something.
- [X] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics.
"Fine, fine. Hmm … well, if it's not too much of a problem, do you mind if we have something brought here? I'm sure Satsuki would be safe, of course, but if something woke her up, I'd prefer to be here to make sure she didn't overreact." Megane nods.
"Of course. Just a moment … there." She taps at something on her desk and a screen appears over the desk, showing numerous available dishes. "If you want anything in particular, I can look it up to see if a place nearby delivers. No alcohol, however." Lutecia leans against her mother.
"Honey tea?" Megane shoots you a look at her daughter's hopeful request.
"Yes, Lutecia. Honey tea." Oh dear; you've created a monster. You keep from giggling and study the list. Nothing grabs your attention immediately, so after checking to make sure it doesn't have any garlic - not that it should matter, unless it was made of the stuff, but it doesn't hurt to make sure - you order what turns out to be a sort of potato-dumpling-noodle dish of, apparently, Belkan origin. And when you inquire about repayment, even though Megane refuses to let you, she does show you how see how much you're getting paid and how to spend it. And after learning about relative pay scales and local prices, you aren't quite so annoyed about the lack of prizes - which you also bring up and explain, only to have it confirmed that the Bureau doesn't use that policy. "If you don't mind my asking, why did you come back to the Bureau?" Lutecia frowns at her mother.
"Mama! No work!" Megane tries giving her daughter a conciliatory look.
"I know, Lutecia, I know - but this is something that I want to know anyway. It's something I would be asking even if it wasn't something I'm supposed to find out." Lutecia pouts unhappily and looks down at the floor. You clear your throat and waggle your finger at Lutecia.
"Now, now - I don't mind answering a few questions, Lutecia." After a few seconds she nods, still clearly unhappy but willing to let her mother proceed. "As for why … well, because I promised, and my sister is holding me to that promise," you begin, grinning. "But also because vampires don't break their word, and because I have a few things I want to do here." Like giving Lutecia her ring. You take it out but keep it concealed in your hand. Megane, of course, focuses on the important part.
"Vampires can't break their word?" You shake your head and your grin widens.
"Don't, not can't. Oh, it's pretty true that we can't make a promise or contract with the express intent to renege on it, but if there's no magical compulsion, we aren't bound by our natures to follow through. We simply do - like humans form social groups. There's nothing stopping a human from living on his own and not interacting with others, but leaving aside the question of whether or not that person is still 'human,' it's not something that's considered remotely normal behavior. Part of being a vampire means following through on promises and obligations." Megane frowns thoughtfully.
"So … if a vampire chose to disregard its obligations …." You shake your head again.
"Vampires - youkai in general - can't really choose to disregard their natures the way humans can. With a lot of youkai, it's simply not conceivable to them, like how a 'hero' is antithetical to youkai and it's impossible for a 'youkai hero' to exist. With the higher youkai, it's something possible, in theory, but simply never done - if you're a youkai, you do youkai things, because you're a youkai. If you don't do those things, you aren't a youkai, but since you are a youkai …." Megane frowns and Lutecia pouts unhappily.
"So the offer your sister made -"
"Mama!" Megane frowns and looks down at her lap, and Lutecia immediately leans against her. "Mama, please?" Megane nods after a moment and hugs Lutecia. Then her desk buzzes at her, and Megane scowls at it.
"Yes?" She masks her irritation at the interruption very well.
"Warrant Officer Alpine, the lunch you ordered is here. Shall we send it up?" She smiles and nods, even though there's no screen to look at.
"Yes, please. Thank you, Reynard." She leans back, relaxing. "A little earlier than I thought it would be … and no more work-related questions." Lutecia relaxes too, leaning against her mother. You lightly clap your hands together, drawing their attention back to you.
"Ah! Lutecia, I have something for you." She looks at you curiously and you lean over the desk, hand closed. "Hold your hand out, please." She cups her hands below yours, and you release the ring to her. Her eyes widen in surprise; widen even more when she holds it up to look at the detailing of your wings and the beautiful polish of the inset amethyst. She holds it up for her mother to look at before slipping it on and holding her hand against her chest.
"Th-thank you, Flan …." You smile at her.
"You're welcome, Lulu."
"It is very beautiful. Where did you get it?" You kick your feet uselessly and sigh.
"I had it made in Skyrim, after Lulu left." Lutecia looks up then, curious. "Um, if you talked with Vita about me, she probably said something about my meeting up with a castle of vampires? I had the smith at that castle make it." You sigh; will you ever be able to go back there?
"Could you have one made for Mama, too?" You wince and immediately wave your hand to keep Lutecia from thinking that you're irritated with her.
"Sorry, sorry! I was just thinking about that place. Some things happened, and I guess I can't get back there, at least for a long time. So I think I could, but it would be by someone else." Patchouli or your sister, most likely, although there are probably plenty of smith youkai who could do wonderful work if having it worked physically is necessary for some reason. Lutecia pouts.
"We can't go see the Khajiit?" Hmm … did they strike a chord with her, or does she just want to meet catfolk? There are at least a few cat youkai in Gensokyo, after all. Before you can ask her about it, however, there's a tone from the door - the receptionist with your food. He stares at Satsuki, sleeping soundly in the wheelchair. Megane smiles.
"Come in!" The door slides open and the receptionist walks in with three bags. You slip off your chair and take the two bags in his right hand. He starts to smile in thanks but gets distracted by your wings; you giggle and jingle them cheerfully before skipping back to the desk. He's still so distracted by you that you're able to get the third bag before he recovers. "Thank you, Reynard." Megane smiles at him and his head jerks up; hm, now why are his cheeks coloring like that?
"Ah, y-yes, Warrant Officer Alpine! H-have a good day!" He salutes and whirls to escape the room. You tap your lips and glance at Megane, but her challenging expression makes you think that now might not be the time. The food is quickly doled out and the office smells delicious. You lick your lips in anticipation.
"Have you made any new friends, Flan?" You nod at Lutecia as you start eating; you already told her about them, but this way you can tell her mother about them and explain a bit more about who they are. The food isn't as good as you'd hoped, but considering the source, it is definitely well-made. But Megane's heap of saucy noodles and Lutecia's fish-based platter both look delicious.
"A couple. Deis and Ilya." You explain a bit about their circumstances - that Deis was a sorceress stranded on a strange world you visited, and that Ilya was a mage from a different Earth, that both are staying with you now. You don't mention their special conditions, as they aren't particularly relevant and shouldn't matter, and you heavily gloss over what actually happened on those two worlds. Not that you would be bothered, but it's not particularly good manners to make your host feel sick in the middle of lunch, after all.
And then your clones alert you to Vita's presence as she stomps out the elevator, scowling ferociously at Satsuki before heading right for the office door. You start to turn, surprising Megane and Lutecia, and then Vita simply opens the door and stomps in, still glowering, and turns to face you. Her expression falters immediately when she realizes that you aren't alone, however, and she definitely looks like she knows she made a mistake.
"Ah, Lieutenant Vita! Come in, come in. We just finished lunch, but we were thinking about dessert, so I'm sure we could order something for you, too. Is there anything you want?" Vita stares at her for a moment before shaking herself.
"I'm sorry, Warrant Officer Alpine. I already had lunch. I'm here for her," she says, gesturing at you, "but if you're still busy with her I can come back in half an hour." Hmm … she seems calmer, but it sounds like you're going to be going with her, regardless.
What do you do?
[ ] Apologize to Megane and Lutecia and go with Vita now.
[ ] Half an hour sounds good.
[ ] Try to get Vita to stay here for a while.
[ ] Other?
- [X] Let Lutecia and her mother decide conversation topics.
"Fine, fine. Hmm … well, if it's not too much of a problem, do you mind if we have something brought here? I'm sure Satsuki would be safe, of course, but if something woke her up, I'd prefer to be here to make sure she didn't overreact." Megane nods.
"Of course. Just a moment … there." She taps at something on her desk and a screen appears over the desk, showing numerous available dishes. "If you want anything in particular, I can look it up to see if a place nearby delivers. No alcohol, however." Lutecia leans against her mother.
"Honey tea?" Megane shoots you a look at her daughter's hopeful request.
"Yes, Lutecia. Honey tea." Oh dear; you've created a monster. You keep from giggling and study the list. Nothing grabs your attention immediately, so after checking to make sure it doesn't have any garlic - not that it should matter, unless it was made of the stuff, but it doesn't hurt to make sure - you order what turns out to be a sort of potato-dumpling-noodle dish of, apparently, Belkan origin. And when you inquire about repayment, even though Megane refuses to let you, she does show you how see how much you're getting paid and how to spend it. And after learning about relative pay scales and local prices, you aren't quite so annoyed about the lack of prizes - which you also bring up and explain, only to have it confirmed that the Bureau doesn't use that policy. "If you don't mind my asking, why did you come back to the Bureau?" Lutecia frowns at her mother.
"Mama! No work!" Megane tries giving her daughter a conciliatory look.
"I know, Lutecia, I know - but this is something that I want to know anyway. It's something I would be asking even if it wasn't something I'm supposed to find out." Lutecia pouts unhappily and looks down at the floor. You clear your throat and waggle your finger at Lutecia.
"Now, now - I don't mind answering a few questions, Lutecia." After a few seconds she nods, still clearly unhappy but willing to let her mother proceed. "As for why … well, because I promised, and my sister is holding me to that promise," you begin, grinning. "But also because vampires don't break their word, and because I have a few things I want to do here." Like giving Lutecia her ring. You take it out but keep it concealed in your hand. Megane, of course, focuses on the important part.
"Vampires can't break their word?" You shake your head and your grin widens.
"Don't, not can't. Oh, it's pretty true that we can't make a promise or contract with the express intent to renege on it, but if there's no magical compulsion, we aren't bound by our natures to follow through. We simply do - like humans form social groups. There's nothing stopping a human from living on his own and not interacting with others, but leaving aside the question of whether or not that person is still 'human,' it's not something that's considered remotely normal behavior. Part of being a vampire means following through on promises and obligations." Megane frowns thoughtfully.
"So … if a vampire chose to disregard its obligations …." You shake your head again.
"Vampires - youkai in general - can't really choose to disregard their natures the way humans can. With a lot of youkai, it's simply not conceivable to them, like how a 'hero' is antithetical to youkai and it's impossible for a 'youkai hero' to exist. With the higher youkai, it's something possible, in theory, but simply never done - if you're a youkai, you do youkai things, because you're a youkai. If you don't do those things, you aren't a youkai, but since you are a youkai …." Megane frowns and Lutecia pouts unhappily.
"So the offer your sister made -"
"Mama!" Megane frowns and looks down at her lap, and Lutecia immediately leans against her. "Mama, please?" Megane nods after a moment and hugs Lutecia. Then her desk buzzes at her, and Megane scowls at it.
"Yes?" She masks her irritation at the interruption very well.
"Warrant Officer Alpine, the lunch you ordered is here. Shall we send it up?" She smiles and nods, even though there's no screen to look at.
"Yes, please. Thank you, Reynard." She leans back, relaxing. "A little earlier than I thought it would be … and no more work-related questions." Lutecia relaxes too, leaning against her mother. You lightly clap your hands together, drawing their attention back to you.
"Ah! Lutecia, I have something for you." She looks at you curiously and you lean over the desk, hand closed. "Hold your hand out, please." She cups her hands below yours, and you release the ring to her. Her eyes widen in surprise; widen even more when she holds it up to look at the detailing of your wings and the beautiful polish of the inset amethyst. She holds it up for her mother to look at before slipping it on and holding her hand against her chest.
"Th-thank you, Flan …." You smile at her.
"You're welcome, Lulu."
"It is very beautiful. Where did you get it?" You kick your feet uselessly and sigh.
"I had it made in Skyrim, after Lulu left." Lutecia looks up then, curious. "Um, if you talked with Vita about me, she probably said something about my meeting up with a castle of vampires? I had the smith at that castle make it." You sigh; will you ever be able to go back there?
"Could you have one made for Mama, too?" You wince and immediately wave your hand to keep Lutecia from thinking that you're irritated with her.
"Sorry, sorry! I was just thinking about that place. Some things happened, and I guess I can't get back there, at least for a long time. So I think I could, but it would be by someone else." Patchouli or your sister, most likely, although there are probably plenty of smith youkai who could do wonderful work if having it worked physically is necessary for some reason. Lutecia pouts.
"We can't go see the Khajiit?" Hmm … did they strike a chord with her, or does she just want to meet catfolk? There are at least a few cat youkai in Gensokyo, after all. Before you can ask her about it, however, there's a tone from the door - the receptionist with your food. He stares at Satsuki, sleeping soundly in the wheelchair. Megane smiles.
"Come in!" The door slides open and the receptionist walks in with three bags. You slip off your chair and take the two bags in his right hand. He starts to smile in thanks but gets distracted by your wings; you giggle and jingle them cheerfully before skipping back to the desk. He's still so distracted by you that you're able to get the third bag before he recovers. "Thank you, Reynard." Megane smiles at him and his head jerks up; hm, now why are his cheeks coloring like that?
"Ah, y-yes, Warrant Officer Alpine! H-have a good day!" He salutes and whirls to escape the room. You tap your lips and glance at Megane, but her challenging expression makes you think that now might not be the time. The food is quickly doled out and the office smells delicious. You lick your lips in anticipation.
"Have you made any new friends, Flan?" You nod at Lutecia as you start eating; you already told her about them, but this way you can tell her mother about them and explain a bit more about who they are. The food isn't as good as you'd hoped, but considering the source, it is definitely well-made. But Megane's heap of saucy noodles and Lutecia's fish-based platter both look delicious.
"A couple. Deis and Ilya." You explain a bit about their circumstances - that Deis was a sorceress stranded on a strange world you visited, and that Ilya was a mage from a different Earth, that both are staying with you now. You don't mention their special conditions, as they aren't particularly relevant and shouldn't matter, and you heavily gloss over what actually happened on those two worlds. Not that you would be bothered, but it's not particularly good manners to make your host feel sick in the middle of lunch, after all.
And then your clones alert you to Vita's presence as she stomps out the elevator, scowling ferociously at Satsuki before heading right for the office door. You start to turn, surprising Megane and Lutecia, and then Vita simply opens the door and stomps in, still glowering, and turns to face you. Her expression falters immediately when she realizes that you aren't alone, however, and she definitely looks like she knows she made a mistake.
"Ah, Lieutenant Vita! Come in, come in. We just finished lunch, but we were thinking about dessert, so I'm sure we could order something for you, too. Is there anything you want?" Vita stares at her for a moment before shaking herself.
"I'm sorry, Warrant Officer Alpine. I already had lunch. I'm here for her," she says, gesturing at you, "but if you're still busy with her I can come back in half an hour." Hmm … she seems calmer, but it sounds like you're going to be going with her, regardless.
What do you do?
[ ] Apologize to Megane and Lutecia and go with Vita now.
[ ] Half an hour sounds good.
[ ] Try to get Vita to stay here for a while.
[ ] Other?
SolipsistSerpent
Endlessly Devouring
Well, now, looks like it's about time for Flandre's predictions to come true:
But we can put it off for a bit to visit Flandre's friend.
[X] Half an hour sounds good.
But we can put it off for a bit to visit Flandre's friend.
[X] Half an hour sounds good.
A Wise Hermit
Well, Sometimes.
[X] Half an hour sounds good.
Always need to spend time to finish up our conversations.
Always need to spend time to finish up our conversations.